Why I'm Using The StoryGraph Instead of GoodReads
There’s not a reader I know who doesn’t keep track of their books read. Back in the day when you only had physical books, many readers had a notebook of completed books. Since Amazon purchased Goodreads in 2013, readers have been able to automatically rate and review books on their Kindles as soon as the book is complete. The ability to rate and review books on Goodreads has turned into a critical part of a book’s success. But unfortunately, Goodreads has issues.
If you’re a longtime user of Goodreads, you probably noticed the site hasn’t had a facelift since 2013 when it was purchased. For nearly a decade, we’ve been using a slightly buggy site, attempting to find stats, and trying to sort and tag our books in a way that makes sense to us.
As I read throughout 2022, I became increasingly frustrated with Goodreads. My Kindle doesn’t always sync to Goodreads, so my tracking isn’t correct. I’m reading more physical books, so I have to track those manually. And Goodreads doesn’t give me great stats, nor does it give good suggestions for what to read next. I suspect Goodreads will push whatever Amazon wants pushed.
Enter The Storygraph.
I first learned of The Storygraph in 2021, and I signed up right away. A bit bummed it didn’t have a connection to my Kindle, I didn’t adopt it immediately. However, with all the flaws of Goodreads bubbling up to the surface in 2022, I decided to make the transition to The StoryGraph.
The StoryGraph allows you to import your Goodreads info via CSV, and they give you super clear instructions on how to do it. It was so easy, and it took just a few minutes. I did need to clean up some duplicates. I also had some incorrect editions noted (many audiobooks instead of physical or digital editions).
I am so happy I can see more detailed stats now!
At this time, I will say that Goodreads still has a stronger community/friend/follower function than The StoryGraph. I expect that to change as The StoryGraph gains users. There is also a paid function on The StoryGraph - I haven’t tried it, but I may in the future. I’m excited to keep using it, as well as share my end of year stats soon!